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Author Topic: Sword or Spear?  (Read 549 times)

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Offline Simon

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Sword or Spear?
« on: February 08, 2023, 06:57:25 am »
This is a John II half tetarteron, the official description has St. Demetrius holding a sword, however when looking at my other photographed example it appears clearly to be a spear. I have psted three examples, two that look like spears one that looks like a sword.

Is this a variation #1 or was the description misattributed to begin with. Opinions are welcome, as are other examples.

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https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5633 My main collection of Tetartera. Post reform coinage.

Offline glebe

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Re: Sword or Spear?
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2023, 03:25:54 am »
Tricky question when you think of it.
Spears are often held across the body but still I'd call this a short spear or javelin.
The odd thing is that it is jewelled like a sceptre, although of course the saint is in military attire (and saints don't carry sceptres as far as I can recall).

Ross G.

Offline Gert

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Re: Sword or Spear?
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2023, 03:26:49 pm »
I also think it must be a spear:

1) Taking into account contemporary images of St. Demetrios on seals, they all show spears.
2) In depictions of Saints or emperors holding a sword in a similar upward way, the sword is engraved with more mass, i.e. like an actual sword. Compare the nomismata of Isaac Comnenus, and especially his seals, which have a half-length bust like St. Demetrios (https://www.doaks.org/resources/online-exhibits/gods-regents-on-earth-a-thousand-years-of-byzantine-imperial-seals/not-born-in-the-purple-interlopers-and-usurpers/isaac-i-komnenos-1057-59)
3) The weapon in the hands of St. Demetrios does not have cross-guard, which would be expected if it was a sword.
Regards
Gert

Offline joma-tk

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Re: Sword or Spear?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2023, 02:17:44 pm »
Spear,
at least on the attached example

tk

Offline Simon

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Re: Sword or Spear?
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2023, 06:11:38 pm »
Spear,
at least on the attached example

tk

Thank you and that is a really nice example.  I have yet to find any clear example of a sword. It must be a mistake.
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5633 My main collection of Tetartera. Post reform coinage.

 

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